What is emotion?

After a night of rest, Yi Chen woke up feeling refreshed.

He got up and checked his phone.

Since the midterm exam had yielded less than 100 class points, he was receiving less than 10,000 private points each month.

Yi Chen currently had just over 21,000 private points.

However, the prices for items at the school were quite reasonable, and many daily necessities were even free.

As Yi Chen was looking through his phone, a message from Ichinose arrived.

After sending a brief reply, he went to find Sudo Ken to head to school.

The events of yesterday afternoon were still vivid in Yi Chen's mind.

I was truly deeply influenced by my previous upbringing, but what kind of feeling is this exactly?

A good kid? A bad kid? What kind of person am I, really? Why must I go through all of this?

Yi Chen's gaze turned dark.

The feeling of fists connecting with flesh—was it satisfying?

Heh, it was actually quite exhilarating.

Yi Chen's state of mind had undergone a change.

When he arrived at the classroom today, the students cheered and jumped for joy upon seeing him.

Yi Chen looked at his classmates, who were all smiles.

He glanced at Kushida, who was keeping her head down, and then at Airi.

Airi noticed Yi Chen looking at her and immediately looked away.

She quietly clenched her fists.

"Yo, yo, yo! Ichinose's boyfriend is here!"

"Yi Chen, I'm so jealous of you! How did you manage to start dating first?"

Laughter erupted from all around.

Yi Chen looked at his classmates, feeling completely confused.

He nodded to everyone and returned to his seat to sit down.

Ayanokoji and Horikita looked coldly at this man who had nothing better to do.

At this moment, Ike and Teruhiko came over to Yi Chen to boast and flatter him.

Yi Chen finally understood the sequence of events.

It turned out that Ichinose was quite famous, and because the two of them had embraced for so long yesterday, their relationship as a couple had been confirmed.

Word spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred.

Everyone knew.

Just like that, Ike and the other guy wanted Yi Chen to teach them how to pick up girls, but the teacher arrived shortly after.

Yi Chen arrived at the classroom about 20 minutes early every day, never less, though there wasn't much point in coming to school early.

This high school was still quite relaxed; the daily classes were easy, and school ended early.

After the first period ended, Horikita approached to ask Yi Chen what was going on and why he was dating Ichinose from Class B.

Ayanokoji pretended to read a book while quietly listening in.

Yi Chen said simply and clearly:

"It's nothing, really. We just like each other, so we started dating."

Horikita looked at him with disdain:

"That's a very careless way of putting it. Whatever, forget it if you don't want to talk about it."

"But I hope you still prioritize our own class and don't end up doing anything to betray it."

Yi Chen looked puzzled, his expression turning dark:

"Based on my performance so far, do I look like someone who would betray the class?"

Horikita saw Yi Chen's expression and realized she had said the wrong thing:

"...I was just saying it off the cuff."

Yi Chen looked at the Horikita before him, feeling displeased:

Horikita Suzune? To say something so unpleasant off the cuff—it's no wonder there's absolutely no issue with her being placed in Class D.

Forget it, I can't be bothered to care. Respect the fate of others.

Today's classes ended quickly, and after school, he checked a message from Ichinose.

They had an appointment to go to karaoke today.

Yi Chen arrived at the entrance of Class B to pick up Ichinose.

The students of Class B saw the intimate behavior between Yi Chen and Ichinose.

Some screamed, some cheered, some were envious, and some were jealous.

The two of them headed toward the KTV just like that.

There is more than one KTV in the school; after all, the area of Advanced Nurturing High School is vast.

The two chatted happily today.

Soon, Yi Chen saw Ibuki Mio in the distance with bandages wrapped around her face.

Yi Chen's expression gradually changed.

Ichinose was staring at Yi Chen's face from time to time and noticed the change in his expression.

Following Yi Chen's gaze, she also saw the injured Ibuki Mio.

Ichinose held onto Yi Chen's arm and headed toward Ibuki Mio.

Ibuki Mio saw the two of them: one was her friend Ichinose, and the other was Yi Chen, with whom she had a conflict just yesterday.

Ibuki Mio looked up at Yi Chen for a moment, then fixed her eyes on the ground.

This expression was noticed by Ichinose.

Ichinose knows most of the people in the school, and her relationship with Ibuki Mio is quite good.

Ichinose knows clearly.

Whether Ibuki Mio is nervous or lying, her eyes do not dart around like most people, but instead remain unusually calm.

Ichinose knew that something must have happened between the two of them.

Ichinose kindly asked what happened to the injury on Ibuki Mio's face.

Ibuki Mio said expressionlessly:

"It's nothing."

Yi Chen looked at the Ibuki Mio in front of him and thought to himself:

"It's highly likely she didn't manage to deal with me and got beaten by Ryuen."

Ichinose looked at the indifferent Yi Chen, then looked at the troubled Ibuki Mio.

She nudged Yi Chen's waist with her elbow.

Yi Chen looked at Ichinose and understood.

Yi Chen looked at Ibuki Mio:

"If you don't want to say it, then forget it. I hope you understand what you are doing."

Upon hearing this, Ibuki Mio walked away directly.

Ichinose wanted to stop her, but it was useless.

Ichinose asked Yi Chen what had happened between the two of them.

Yi Chen simply told her that this was a class dispute, and that she should think for herself about how the leader of Class C leads Class C.

Ichinose understood.

Ichinose asked curiously:

"Who is the core figure of Class D?"

Yi Chen looked at Ichinose.

Ichinose felt a little overwhelmed, but also somewhat expectant.

Yi Chen:

"I don't know. Class D doesn't even have 90 class points right now."

"In a class like that, how could there be any leader?"

Upon hearing this, Ichinose suddenly realized.

Yi Chen asked:

"Then is the core figure of Class B you, Ichinose?"

Ichinose looked at Yi Chen and said without reservation:

"Everyone trusts me very much; I don't know anything about being a core or not."

Yi Chen smiled upon hearing this.

Yi Chen understood that Ichinose wasn't lying to him; was this what love felt like?

Yi Chen asked:

"Ichinose, how many points do you have left now, spending them everywhere with me every day?"

Upon hearing this, Ichinose slowly opened her phone to show Yi Chen.

3,000,000!

Yi Chen was somewhat startled as he looked at the points.

Ichinose replied unhurriedly:

"Everyone in the class trusts me, so they have all entrusted their points to my care."

Yi Chen looked at Ichinose and didn't say anything.

Yi Chen suddenly remembered something and asked:

"Ichinose, are you kind to everyone?"

Ichinose ⊙.☉:

"Eh? I suppose that's true? Everyone is my friend, after all."

Yi Chen said coldly:

"I see."

Ichinose sensed that Yi Chen was unhappy.

Ichinose said in a panic:

"Don't worry, Yi Chen-kun, you are different to me."

Yi Chen felt slightly awkward upon hearing this and gave a simple, perfunctory response.

Yi Chen thought to himself:

"I seem to be the same with everyone; in my eyes, they are all just NPCs."

"Love? I've dated before, but it never lasted even three days."

"I grew up mostly in other people's homes from a young age."

"In kindergarten, I stayed at my teacher's house waiting for my parents to finish work and pick me up."

"In elementary school, I stayed at the neighbor's grandmother's house."

"In middle school, I lived alone."

"In high school, I lived alone."

"At first, I felt that emotions were very important, but gradually, they seemed optional."

"Later, I became numb, but a person cannot endure loneliness."

"After coming here, I haven't actually felt that lonely; I have friends and classmates."

"But once the need for companionship is met, a person returns to how they were before, to a state without any emotions."

"That is how I feel about Ichinose right now, even though we've only been dating for a few days."

"What have I actually done? What should I be doing? Can love really be this rushed?"

"What should I do next?"

"If I were the protagonist of a novel"

"Like Ayanokoji Kiyotaka"

"What would he do?"

"No, I am Yi Chen, and the gap between us is still very large."

Yi Chen cut off his train of thought and looked at Ichinose beside him.

"I don't know anymore; I'll just take it one step at a time."

"I was too lonely before, with an excess of emotions, but now?"

The two soon arrived at the KTV, and Yi Chen went through the motions of singing without much feeling.

Today was not a pleasant day.

On the way back, the conversation between the two became much less frequent than usual.

After Yi Chen walked Ichinose back to her dormitory.

Yi Chen turned and walked away.

Ichinose's tears gushed out instantly.

Seeing this, Yi Chen panicked, feeling a deep sense of guilt.

At the dormitory entrance, Ichinose broke down in tears.

Ichinose sobbed as she cried:

"Yi Chen, what's wrong with you?"

"Why are you so cold today?"

"If I did something wrong, just tell me."

Seeing this, Yi Chen felt a twinge of guilt:

But does he really think she was wrong?

"I just didn't feel like talking."

"Can't we just simply keep each other company?"

"Apparently not."

Yi Chen wanted to hug Ichinose, but she gently caught his wrist.

Ichinose choked out:

"Yi Chen-kun, is it because I'm nice to everyone?"

"That you think I'm that kind of casual woman?"

Yi Chen:

"..."

Ichinose sobbed:

"Say something."

A wrenching pain gripped Yi Chen's heart, though he didn't know why.

Yi Chen spoke calmly:

"No, I think if you're nice to everyone, it just means you're very kind."

Yi Chen took out a tissue and slowly wiped Ichinose's tears.

Ichinose did not refuse.

Ichinose stepped forward and hugged Yi Chen.

Ichinose pressed tightly against Yi Chen's chest.

Buried in Yi Chen's chest, Ichinose whispered:

"You're lying, that's not what you think at all, is it?"

"Just say whatever is on your mind, I will change for you."

Hearing this, Yi Chen gave an awkward, bitter smile as he looked down at Ichinose in his arms.

His heart was stirred.

"Is that so? Then can you only be good to me from now on?"

Hearing this, Ichinose looked up at Yi Chen with a flushed face.

"Of course I can."

A shackle in Yi Chen's heart inexplicably loosened.

Ichinose looked at the stunned Yi Chen and stood on her tiptoes.

Their lips brushed against each other.

The soft, sweet sensation between their lips.

Caused Yi Chen to instantly explode.

Yi Chen's face turned beet red, he was at a loss, and his breathing became rapid.

Ichinose hugged Yi Chen even tighter, fearing that he might just leave her like this.

The sound of their heavy breathing was exceptionally loud in the quiet hallway.

Their hearts pounded, as if they were about to burst.

Ichinose, pressed against his chest, hurriedly looked up at Yi Chen.

Yi Chen's consciousness nearly blurred, and Ichinose let go of him.

She looked at Yi Chen with a shy expression.

After being released, Yi Chen's senses slowly returned to his body.

The two gazed at each other affectionately.

Yi Chen didn't know what to do.

Yi Chen stiffly extended his pinky finger toward Ichinose.

Ichinose understood, and the two hooked their pinkies together.

Ichinose opened the door to her dorm, went inside, and waved goodbye to Yi Chen.

Yi Chen walked away stiffly.

Ichinose leaned her back against the door, listening to the sound of Yi Chen's retreating footsteps.

Her heart was racing wildly.

Ichinose touched her heart, feeling its frantic rhythm.

Her face was already flushed red.